A long Journey
by Evilkat23
Summary: Takes place after my story 'Little Bundles'. Fem! Firestar warning. This and AU for the Great Journey. Twolegs managed to destroy all the camps in the forest. The humans managed to take Firestar, Onewhisker, Smokekit, and Thistlekit, from Shadowclan. Separated from her clan follow the split journey of Graystripe as he tries to lead the clan, and Firestar, as she tries to, find them
1. Chapter 1

**So, you guys actually wanted a story with Streamkit, Dewkit, Sunkit, and Smokekit so, here you guys go. Also I'm like 90% sure kits don't call their parents 'mom' and 'dad' like we do but you know what. I'm doing that. Also I decided to make this an AU you'll see as you read. P.S. yes two of my OC's from the speechless warrior make a small cameo as well. If you made a background cat and it didn't show up, don't fret. It'll be in the next chapter.**

Smokekit narrowed his brilliant green eyes as he shifted his hunches. His eyes on the target just a little ways away from him, he just had to wait for the perfect moment to strike. A heartbeat passed, then two, finally, his target moved into the perfect line of sight and he charged, jumping in the air, he landed on it and started to chew as his prey moved away.

"Hey! Hey! No biting my tail!" His mother, Firestar, scolded him as she lightly tapped his head with her paw. Firestar was the leader of Thunderclan, and even though she was the leader she never treated Smokekit or his siblings any differently from the other cats. Smokekit fell back a bit by his mother's push and pouted at her. Just then, Sunkit came rushing into the nursery whining and whimpering. Smokekit couldn't help but roll his eyes at her, if there was one thing Sunkit was it was whiny, which was honestly odd seeing how she was the only one who actually looked like their mother.

"Moooom! Dewkit won't play with me! She keeps hanging around Cinderpelt!"

"I found a couple stragglers!" Came Graystripe's voice as he came into the nursery carrying Streamkit and Dewkit, Streamkit was struggling while Dewkit was whining.

"But, Cinderpelt was going to show me what lavender does!" Dewkit whined loudly to Graystripe.

"Dad!" Smokekit beamed at his father, Smokekit looked identical to his father right down to the long gray stripe that went down his back and ended at his tail, in fact, most of his siblings looking like their father. Streamkit was a light speckled gray with big blue eyes and a pink nose while Dewkit was a gray tabby with black stripes, yellow eyes, and a gray nose, the only one to not look like their father was Sunkit, no, she got all of her looks from their mother. Bright ginger, with all white paws and a white chest, she had faded orange stripes that were just hardly noticeable. The only thing Smokekit got from Firestar were her green eyes. Graystripe placed Streamkit and Dewkit down, both pouted bitterly at him.

"Now, Kits. It's getting late and you have a big day tomorrow." Firestar told them all softly and instantly all of them perked their heads up. Smokekit felt his paws tingle with excitement as he grinned with his siblings. Tomorrow was the day that they finally get to be apprentices!

"How about one last bed time story?" Graystripe asked them and they all nodded eagerly instantly huddling closer to their father as Firestar got up and shook some moss off of her bright ginger pelt, gently she sat next to Graystripe and nodded, "I'm going to tell you guy's how your mother beat the mighty and powerful Scourge." Graystripe excitedly announced and Firestar chuckled as she gently moved. Smokekit watched as his mother then left the nursery, probably to talk to Cinderpelt. Still, he sat and listened to his father's story about Scourge and Tigerstar and all the rogues that came into the forest. Smokekit didn't get to finish the story as he was shortly asleep before he learned about what happened in the end.

Smokekit wasn't asleep long as he woke to his ears twitching. Sniffing heavily, the kit blinked and tiredly rubbed his nose with his paw. He could hear something, waking up a bit more fully, he frowned and stood up. He knew he wasn't the only one to hear the noise as he could hear the others around the camp grumbling as they too got up.

"Was happenin'?" Sunkit slurred sleepily.

Firestar was quick to get to her paws and poked her head out of the nursery, Smokekit did so to along with his siblings as they were forced awake.

Smokekit could hear the noise it sounded like something giant crashing through the forest. Just loud, ' _CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!'_ Was all that echoed around the forest while there seemed to be some sort of foreign yelling. Smokekit could tell it was yelling by the way it echoed around the forest but he couldn't understand just what was being said.

"Nobody move!" Firestar hissed, not to them, but to the others warriors and apprentices who had gotten up and out of their dens. Everyone stood there frozen Smokekit heard Sunkit whimper as the noises got louder and louder to the point that several warriors jumped and got into attack positions ready for whatever was coming. Then, just like that, the noises came to a sudden halt. It became dead quiet causing Firestar to lower her ears dangerously.

With no warning, something cut through the camp's wall of brambles and two twolegs appeared all holding cages and long poles.

"TO SUNNINGROCKS! HURRY!" Firestar yowled and just like that all the cats ran in different directions, one of the twolegs actually managed to grab Cloudtail he let out a loud yowl and struggled against the twoleg's mighty grip on his scruff. In the blink of an eye, Firestar and Graystripe both hissed and Firestar charged slashing at the Twoleg's leg with her mighty claws causing the man to drop Cloudtail who quickly turned and ran out of camp with the rest. Firestar jumped off of the human and ran back to the nursery. With her fur rose up she looked at her kits and quickly yelled out,"HURRY! FOLLOW YOU'RE FATHER TO THE SUNNING ROCKS-AH!" With no warning, Firestar was pulled out of the nursery by a twoleg. The giant had her by her scruff almost making her immobile.

"MOM!" Smokekit shrieked out as Firestar was lifted up into the air. Firestar yowled out and with a sudden jerk of her hind legs she slashed at the twoleg's arm with her claws. That worked as the man screamed out and dropped her to the ground.

"Quickly!" Firestar yelled to them and they followed their mother and father as they ran outside of the camp. The twoleg's where quick to follow, however, twolegs were slow and dumb, and were slowly losing the cats that were all running. Smokekit tried to run with the rest of them but was realizing that their mother and father and were almost miles ahead of him and his siblings.

"Mama! I can't keep up!" Dewkit whined loudly as she struggled to keep the pace going. With no warning, Firestar managed to turn grab Dewkit in her mouth and keep running.

"Sandstorm!" Firestar yowled out, her mouth slightly full as she could see the pale blonde she-cat just up a head, Sandstorm turned and with no warning Firestar threw Dewkit at her. Sandstorm stopped and leaped up in the air catching Dewkit with ease. Sunkit was next to be grabbed by their mother. "Ferncloud!" With another toss, Sunkit was thrown to the gray she-cat who, like Sandstorm, caught her and kept on running a head. Streamkit was then grabbed and quickly tossed the Graystripe, who kept his stride up with Firestar's and caught the kit was great ease.

Finally, Smokekit was the last to be grabbed and thankfully he wasn't being tossed as he was just dangling out of his mother's mouth. Watching as cat after cat jumped down a small landing, his mother did so quickly and Smokekit could see that they weren't alone as other cats were on the other side of the rocks, Smokekit figured they must of been Riverclan cats. The other cats instantly took note as all of Thunderclan came down. Seeing how many Riverclan cats there were, Smokekit could only guess they were running away from the giant twolegs as well. Smokekit did a small scope of the Sunningrocks everyone almost seemed to be there safe and sound.

Silently, His mother placed him down next to Graystripe, who, Smokekit noted, refused to look over at the Riverclan cats. It wasn't pride, it looked more like shame. Looking at Streamkit, Smokekit watched as Sunkit and Dewkit were silently placed down next to them and soon everyone in both clans watched as Firestar and the leader of Riverclan walked up to one another.

"Firestar, I was wondering what happened to you, it's been a good while since you've showed your face." The other leader rather bitterly snorted. Her eyes then turned to Smokekit and his siblings, instantly, he fluffed up at the slightly disgusted look she gave them. "But, I see you and Graystripe had your paws full..."

"Leopardstar...I take it the reason you and your clan are here is for the same reason my clan is here as well?" Firestar asked as she kept herself emotionless.

"Twolegs? Yes, they managed to come through the camp, thankfully we out ran them."

"As did we."

Leopardstar let out a snort as she focused her attention back on Smokekit and his siblings. She only stared at them for a few seconds until Smokekit puffed out even more making him look almost as fluffy as Cloudtail.

"I take it those are your little kits, yours and Graystripe's?"

Firestar just gave a prideful nod as she too looked over at her kittens. "To be apprenticed tomorrow at sunrise." Firestar proudly spoke.

"Hm, well, lets hope that Graystripe will actually stay for them this time," Was all Leopardstar said before turning her tail and waltzing away. Smokekit heard his mother let out a bitter snort before she corrected herself and stood tall. Graystripe let out a soft growl before his attention turned a Riverclan cat coming his way. Firestar said nothing as she had her attention on her own clan clearly counting each cat to make sure everyone was there.

"Graystripe!" The dark gray tabby cat greeted Graystripe. The two of them bumped heads weakly. "We still haven't found her..." The gray tabby whispered softly to Graystripe.

"Who are you? Besides a Riverclan cat?" Smokekit inquired as he sat down in front of the she-cat bravely.

"You never told them?" the tom cat turned to his father who just looked down shamefully once more. At this, Dewkit, Sunkit, and Streamkit all came up to Smokekit's side. The four of them looked at one another before going back to the older Riverclan cat.

"Kits." Graystripe started gaining their attention right away. "This is Stormfur... your half-sibling," Graystripe softly told them. Smokekit looked up at the Riverclan cat and then over at his father.

"This is our brother?" Dewkit asked shyly before Smokekit could.

"Yes. It's a long story-"

"Cinderpelt!" Hearing Firestar's startled yell, everyone turned to see her now looking for the medicine cat. "Graystripe we left her behind! I have to go back!" The leader yelled out clearly upset. Smokekit watched as his mother climbed up and rushed back to camp. Smokekit frowned, what if his mother got caught?

"Ma-" Smokekit started going after his mother but was stopped by his father.

"No. She knows what she's doing." Graystripe told him sternly before turning. "Cloudtail! Birdpelt! Go with her, and be careful!" Graystripe ordered and in the blink of an eye the two toms were gone.

"I'll go as well." Stormfur offered earning a nod from Graystripe.

"Thank you. Be safe." Stormfur was gone. Smokekit shuffled his paws anxiously.

"I want to hel-" Smokekit almost yelled but was silenced by his father once more.

"No! Smokekit! It's too dangerous, you're not even an apprentice yet. Stay here," Graystripe ordered him as he turned and instantly started to give orders to the others.

Smokekit looked at Sunkit, Dewkit, and Streamkit and growled. "I'm helping Mom."

"Dad said to stay put," Dewkit objected, Sunkit and Streamkit both nodded agreeing with Dewkit as she laid down on to her side. "Besides, you forget. It's MOM we're talking about here. She didn't become the leader of Thunderclan for nothing. She'll come back."

He could only tense up as his sisters just all sat there. Why was he the only one concerned about his mother? Keeping his head up high he looked over to where his father was and then up to where the ledge was. Narrowing his eyes, he made a mad dash for the ledge. Breathing heavily, he felt his legs pump as he charged forward. "Smokekit!" He heard Streamkit yell out giving him away. It didn't matter he was already up on the ledge and in one quick jump he was up on the top. Rushing as fast as he could he tried his hardest to remember were the camp was.

"Smokekit!" Hearing his father's yell in the distance, Smokekit tensed and continued running fearful of his father's oncoming wrath for disobeying him. Hearing loud shouts up a head, Smokekit pumped his legs harder as he charged forward. Narrowing his eyes he found the fallen bramble thicket and could see one of the two legs shouting and frantically moving around trying to get something off of them by the looks of it. Smokekit carefully maneuvered around the fallen brambles to get to the camp as quickly as possible. Once on the other side he paused at the sight. Cinderpelt was in a giant cage along with Dustpelt the two of them yelling out as they reached their paws out through the bars.

Cloudtail was fighting with the twoleg. The fluffy white tom hissing and snarling as the human tried their hardest to put Cloudtail in a cage. While that went on, Smokekit silently walked over to the cage as quietly as he could.

"Smokekit!" Cinderpelt gasped in shock at the kitten. She then quickly shook her head. "Up there, there's a lever! Just pull it down with your paw it should open the cage." She mewed at him softly. Doing as he was told, he got to the side of the lever, and got on his hind legs so he could pull it down, but it wouldn't budge. That was when a bigger gray paw suddenly went on top of his and the bar was effortlessly pulled down opening the doors allowing the two to escape.

"Get to the Sunningrocks, and take him with you," Graystripe ordered as he pushed Smokekit towards them.

"No! I want to help!" Smokekit yelled to his father.

The human let out a yowl of his own causing both of them to look up and see Firestar, Stormfur, and Feathertail all on top of the human. The twoleg dropped Cloudtail. Smokekit tensed up as he slowly backed away watching as his mother was suddenly grabbed and literally thrown to the ground in front of them. Firestar skidded to a halt and wobbled a bit.

"Mom!" Smokekit rushed towards her and rubbed against her warm neck softly as she wheezed out weakly.

Cinderpelt got ready to approach them but Firestar spoke stopping her in mid-step. "I'm fine. Go to Sunningrocks. Graystripe, take Smokekit and go. I can handle the twoleg with Stormfur," She demanded angrily. With a understanding nod, Graystripe walked forward, ready to take Smokekit and leave as instructed, but then a net suddenly came over the two of them. Graystripe jumped back startled. There was a second twoleg just over the brambles holding the net over the two of them.

"Mom..." Smokekit whimpered as with a sudden movement both him and his mother were knocked off of their feet and up in the air unable to escape the twoleg trap. "Mom!" He cried louder. Firestar tried to move but the net made it impossible for her to do so. The twolegs yelled something to one another they both suddenly reached in and pulled them both out. One making sure to use both hands on his mother. They threw her into one cage and then added him in a second later. The doors locked and the twolegs walked away. Smokekit shook horribly and let out a soft sob. This was all his fault. If he hadn't of ran off against his father's wishes then they wouldn't be here. "I'm so sorry!" He wailed as he ran and rubbed against Firestar's chest. "I just wanted to help save you! I didn't mean for this!"

"Listen to me, we're going to get out of this, alright?" She whispered softly to him. Smokekit shook violently from his spot his mother gently nuzzled him to get him to calmly down. "We're going to get out of this. They cant keep us trapped. I'll get us out of this mess. I promise."

Smokekit had no idea how long him and his mother sat in that cage, he knew it had to be a long while as the sun had risen and was now high in the sky. Why hasn't Graystripe try to come and save them? He was there when they were taken. Had something happened to him? Was he in one of these cages? Smokekit didn't recognize any of the voices of the other's yowling and yelling. Smokekit perked his ears up and suddenly let out a gasp and backed up into his mother. Firestar tensed up and snarled out as a twoleg approached their cage. The door opened, Firestar almost got ready to run but before she could two other cats were suddenly thrown ungracefully into the cage with them.

Firestar let out a gasp as the taller of the two cats, a mottled brown tabby tom, stood grimacing in pain.

"Onewhisker!" Firestar carefully rushed over to the tom cat. Onewhisker blinked in surprise at the leader.

"I figured you were the last cat to get caught." Onewhisker told her softly as he cautiously licked his paw. He then looked at the other two in the cage with them. "So, who are these two?" He asked Firestar.

instantly the smaller kitten fluffed up her fur. She was a small ginger she-cat that could almost rival Firestar's bright ginger color. The difference between the two, aside from the obvious age difference, was that the small she-cat had white paws a white chest and her muzzle was white as well. Her tail had fluffed up to ten times it size as she spat at Onewhisker, "Mouse-brain! I already told you my name a thousand times already! It's Thistlekit!"

Smokekit looked at her and suddenly became aware of the smells that lingered together, the two of them didn't smell alike at all. Firestar seemed to pick up on this as well as her ears perked ever so slightly.

"Are you from Shadowclan?" She asked the she-cat, instantly Thistlekit nodded proudly.

"I'm the daughter of Barktail and Midnightclaw!" She stated ever so proudly as she continued to hold her head high in the air. Firestar went to respond to her; however before she could the cage was suddenly jerked up in the air everyone braced themselves as the cage suddenly moved around and suddenly they were put inside of a monster.

"Mom..." Smokekit whined as he rubbed against his mom's flank for comfort. Smokekit started to shake and he could see that he wasn't the only one afraid as Thistlekit seemed to shake as well.

"Firestar! Smokekit!" Hearing his dad's voice off in the distance Smokekit rushed to the cage door and started to move his paw frantically out of it.

"Graystripe! Dad!" Smokekit cried out as he could see his father just outside, Stormfur right behind him. Graystripe could see them and Smokekit could see him.

"Gray-" Before Firestar could finishing saying Graystripe's name the monster shut it's mighty jaws engulfing them all in darkness. "Oh no..." Firestar breathed out. Smokekit shuddered as he attached to his mothers side instantly.

"Firestar... Please tell me you have a plan?" Onewhisker softly asked her. Smokekit could hear the worry in his voice as he seemed to whip his head around. Smokekit could hear the cries of the other cats in the cages as the monster suddenly lurched forward. For the first time, Smokekit felt his mother's silence and it shook him to the core.

* * *

Graystripe felt numb as he looked at all of the other clans now at Sunningrocks, all four clans all together no one fighting but all in a panic.

"We need to leave!" Blackstar finally shouted out as he slammed his paw down causing everyone to go silent.

"Absolutely not!" Tallstar snapped to Blackstar, "Not only do we not have anywhere to go, but, they have several of our warriors, kits, and apprentices!"

"They have Firestar too! I'm not leaving without her!" Graystripe finally got his senses back and he placed his large paw down firmly. Almost instantly all of Thunderclan exploded, most in concern, some in rage.

"We don't have a leader?! What are we going to do!" Duskpaw, a full black tom, who was being apprenticed by Brackenfur exclaimed loudly. Brackenfur wanted to quiet him but that didn't stop the outcry.

"What ARE we going to do?!" Sunpaw, a sleek and slim light ginger tom with a dark striped red tail, let out a low cry as he shook in place.

"They have Mom!" Sunkit wailed out loudly as did Streamkit, Dewkit was the only one trying to keep it together as she looked down in a silent panic.

"Wait...Where's Smokekit?" Dewkit finally questioned and Graystripe felt his ears go back startled. "They have Smokekit too?!" She wailed.

"Everybody calm down! Panicking in this situation isn't going to help!" Graystripe took control once more. "We are NOT without a leader! I know Firestar! She will come back, she'll come back with Smokekit as well!" Graystripe snapped at the clan.

"We need to leave. I agree with Blackstar." Leopardstar cut in causing Graystripe to snarl out at her,

"Are you insane! Even if you were to leave where would you go!? Starclan never gave us a sign or even so much as a warning it was time to just leave!"

"We can't go back to our homes either! The twolegs tore them all apart!" Blackstar argued with Graystripe.

"We can rebuild!" Graystripe spat.

"They'll come back! They know they didn't catch all of us!"

At this point almost everyone was arguing whether to leave or not. Some cats pointing out that it's probably best if they left, some pointing out that Starclan never gave them a sign to leave the forest.

"We're not leaving!" Graystripe put his paw down causing Leopardstar to just scoff at him,

"You're only saying that because your mate and kit got caught! If they were here you'd be onboard with it!"

"Firestar is more than just my mate! She's the leader! and I refuse to leave without her by my side!" Most of Thunderclan agreed with him. "I'm sorry, unless Starclan gives me a sign. I refuse to leave."

"I'm afraid... That's where we come in." Came a familiar voice of Brambleclaw causing everyone to turn. Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt and Crowpaw all stood there after moons of being missing the three of the four missing cats returned. "Starclan has sent a sign."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you guys so much for the response you've given me so far. Before I continue on there is something I want to say, I had a dream that Fem! Firestar was going to have kits with Whitestorm, weird right? Then I got to thinking, is it truly out of the question? I know Whitestorm fathered Sorreltail and I know that in the first series mates weren't really a one time deal, so, tell me what you think, do you think it could be possible that while Graystripe was in Riverclan, Whitestorm and Fem Firestar could have been a thing? In fact, because I'm curious, who do you think Fem! Firestar could have been mates with other than Graystripe?**

 **P.S. Turns out in the later books Cloudtail has a kit named Dewkit...Curses. Oh well too late now. Is it obvious that I really haven't read the later books yet?**

Dewkit, Sunkit, and Streamkit all looked at their father. Graystripe was sitting by the river staring blankly into the water. Ever since Brambleclaw came back along with the other missing cats, the cats and the leaders all had their own meeting away from the other cats, then Graystripe was the first to come back. He's been staring at the water ever since. His three kits all looked at one another then back to their father. Finally, Dewkit was the first to slowly move over to him. He didn't say anything to her, but she knew he noticed her by the way his ears twitched. Looking back at her siblings, Dewkit looked back over towards her father. Sucking in a deep breath she slowly walked closer to him. Dewkit knew her father clearly didn't want to be bothered right now, but judging by how all the other cats were preparing to leave, and he has yet to tell Thunderclan to leave. She knew he needed to be talked to somehow. Getting up behind his left front leg as he laid there, Dewkit scrunched her face up before finally wiggling herself under her father's paw.

Feeling Graystripe look at her, Dewkit looked up at him. Slowly her father bumped heads with her, Dewkit bumped her head back against his. Dewkit looked mostly like Darkstripe, Graystripes half-brother who did horrible things and tried to kill Firestar on several occasions. Still, even though she looked like him, Graystripe never once saw a single once of him in her. Graystripe's ears then twitched once more as he looked down to his right. Sunkit was now under his other arm. Graystripe only licked the top of her head. Of course, Sunkit was the only one to rival her mother's bright ginger coat, though she didn't get her mother's eyes, then again, she didn't get Graystripe's eyes either, even her eyes were bright orange. Feeling a sudden weight on his back, he only had to look into Streamkit's face. Streamkit looked almost like...

"Kits, please sit in front of me." Graystripe ordered and they all complied, Streamkit got off his back, and Sunkit and Dew kit both wiggled out from under him and he looked at all three of them sadly before speaking in an equally sad tone, "Remember how I told you that Stormfur was your half-sibling?" They all nodded slowly. Graystripe sighed out once more, "Well, you see...Stormfur has... had... a sister. Feathertail."

"What happened to her?" Sunkit asked him and Graystripe looked down soundly.

"I was just told that she... moved on to Starclan, do you guys remember what I and Firestar told you about Starclan right?" The kits all nodded and frowned as they recollected just what Starclan was. Graystripe only sighed and looked over at the other cats of Thunderclan all of them standing there. Some ears perked, others had their ears low as they waited for just what to do. Their father stood quietly for a few long tense moments before looking up at the sky. "Bring them back safe...Please." He whispered to the sky before looking back at the clan.

"... We move out with the rest of them. I'm sure you've all heard by now, Starclan has sent their sign, it's time to leave."

"What about Firestar?" Cloudtail was the first to question, there was a low mummer amongst the others as they all wondered the same thing.

"We can't stay... I know Firestar as do all of you. She'd want us to leave as soon as possible, she'll find her way to us. We can't sit here and wait for her. However, I will wait as long as it takes to wait for her to return to us along with Smokekit. In short, until Starclan has told me that she has passed, I will not get my lives." Graystripe stated calmly to the whole clan. The clan seemed rather split on that still nobody spoke up against it out loud.

"Graystripe, the other clans are ready to leave now." Brambleclaw approached him, his head low, Dewkit only tilted her head at that he seemed to have some sort of guilt over something.

Graystripe looked back at the three of them before turning back to look at the clan."Before we leave, there's something that needs to be done. While we're still here in this forest... Sunkit, Dewkit, and Streamkit come here." Tentatively Sunkit approached her father as he requested, Dewkit felt her ears twitch and perk up, what was Graystripe doing?

"I am not Firestar, I know this, however, it must be said. Sunkit, Dewkit, and Streamkit, you have all reached the age of six moons and it is time for you all to be apprenticed. Seeing the circumstances we are currently under I have no choice but shorten all three of your ceremonies and I apologize for that. Thankfully, Firestar had told me just who she wanted to mentor each of you. Sunkit, your name from now on until you become a warrior shall be Sunpaw, Sandstorm will be the one mentor you," At that Sandstorm walked forward and gently touched noses with Sunpaw. All three of them stood there wide eyed surprised that their father even remembered it was timed for them to be apprenticed. Dewkit instantly felt her paws tingle as she watched and waited.

"This will be interesting seeing how my own son is also named Sunpaw," Sandstorm gently spoke to Sunpaw as the two of them stood side by side.

"Streamkit, from now on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Streampaw, Dustpelt shall be the one to mentor you," Streamkit practically bounded over to Dustpelt and the two of them touched noises, though it seemed Dustpelt didn't look too happy about that fact. Finally, it was Dewkit's turn. Her father turned and smiled at her, she waited but then she felt a tail on her shoulder. Looking she saw a long gray tail, looking up at the owner she saw Cinderpelt.

"Would you like to train to be a medicine cat, Dewkit? We're going to need all the help we can get with this journey," Cinderpelt softly spoke to her, Dewkit looked into Cinderpelt's blue eyes and then back at her father. She then nodded enthusiastically. She felt her tiny heart beat rapidly as she contained her excitement to the best of her abilities, taking in a deep breath. Dewkit felt Cinderpelt's nose touch hers and she couldn't help but giggle excitedly. "From now until you complete your training, you shall be known as Dewpaw." Cinderpelt finished.

"Alright. Is there anybody else who needs to be apprenticed before we leave?" Leopardstar questioned the other leaders there was a moment of silence as everyone seemed to look at the kits they had before most if not all of them shook their heads. "Very well... Then, all Medicine cats, please stock up as many herbs as you can carry."

Cinderpelt pushed Dewpaw towards the other medicine cats as they all huddled up deciding on just what they needed to bring. Dewpaw looked back over at Graystripe, Graystripe was looking down at the ground sadly moving his paw along the dirt up and down as he seemed to be lost in though. Dewpaw knew just about what too, it was very obvious. Looking back over at Cinderpelt. Dewpaw saw that she was looking sad as well. Reaching up, she rubbed against her mentor lovingly, "Mom and Smokekit will come back..." Dewpaw softly reassured her.

"I know. I just hope they're alright." Cinderpelt whispered back in response.

* * *

Smokekit sat next to Thistlekit the two of them watching scared and shivering as Onewhisker and Firestar both tried to reach through the bars of the cage that had them trapped trying to reach the lever up above. Thistlekit looked at him cautiously, her blue eyes quickly darted down when she realized that he was looking at her as well. With a heavy sigh, Smokekit tried to calm himself down by lapping at his fur. Both Firestar and Onewhisker walked back to the two of them.

"I guess we just have to wait," Firestar softly told Smokekit as she softly lapped at his head lovingly. He was thankful that his mother was here he wouldn't have a clue what to do if it was just him.

"He looks a lot like Graystripe." Onewhisker commented most likely to just change the subject.

"Identical to him I think you mean." Firestar softly chuckled to Onewhisker. Thistlekit looked out of place as she just looked down and shook fearfully, Smokekit looked at the other kit and realized that she truly was alone in this journey. Her parents weren't here to comfort her like Firestar was for Smokekit. Slowly stepping away from his mother while she and Onewhisker started to talk, Smokekit sat next to Thistlekit the best he could.

"We're going to get out of here," Smokekit comforted her by placing a tail on the she-cat's shoulder. Thistlekit looked at him oddly before looking away slightly.

"Thanks..." She mewed sadly.

"...So, do you have any siblings? I have three sisters, I'm the only boy in the group." He mocked lightly as he tried to get the she-cat to perk up.

"Only a brother, Redkit, he was lucky and managed to get away before I could." She softly told Smokekit.

"Yeah... I'd be with my siblings right now if I had of listened to my father. Maybe none of this would have happened..." Smokekit mewed in response. Thislekit looked like she was going to respond but out of nowhere, the movement lurched to a stop causing all four of them to lose their balance. In an instant, Smokekit was next to Firestar while Thistlekit hid beside Onewhisker. The large monster suddenly opened it's mouth pouring light around them causing Smokekit to squint against the harsh sunlight. Suddenly, a twoleg grabbed their cage causing them all to lose their balance once again.

The twoleg brought them into a different place, Firestar and Onewhisker both looked ahead of the kits, blocking Smokekit's view of the place. All he knew was that somehow it was a lot colder in this place than in the forest. The cage was suddenly placed down and the door magically opened. "Stay behind me," Firestar told the two kits. They both nodded and Firestar slowly and cautiously left the cage Onewhisker right behind her. Slowly the two kits left as well and looked around. They were on something cold and oddly shiny. "Smokekit!" Firestar suddenly jumped in front of the two and let out a low dangerous hiss. Smokekit could see that a twoleg was trying to grab at him. With a sudden swipe of her paw, a twoleg backed off. Smokekit didn't even see the twoleg reaching for him. Firestar let out a low growl at the twoleg, the twoleg only looked at her and gently backed away much to their surprise. Then the Twogleg started to speak in its weird language before walking away and out of the room. "Stay close to me, both of you," Firestar told Thistlekit and Smokekit, the two of them agreed and walked along with Firestar as his mom walked up and jumped towards a window. She started to run her paws up and down the clear glass in a failed attempt to get out.

"Firestar! They're coming back!" Onewhisker urged her and Firestar jumped back down, both Firestar and Onewhisker stood in front of the kits as the Twoleg came back with another kit in their arms.

This kit smelt strongly of a kittypet and the fact that it wasn't fighting with the human proved that they were indeed a kittypet. The kit was a light silver with black toes and one left black ear, gently the twoleg placed the kit down in front of Firestar and backed away. Firestar only stared at the kit.

"Hello! I'm Pepper! Who are you?" Pepper asked them, it was clear now that Pepper was a she-cat. Onewhisker and Firestar both looked at one another then back at Pepper.

"What's the meaning of this?" Firestar asked the kit as she arched her back threateningly.

"I work with the vet, I'm her 'helper kitten' I help ease other cat's anxiety about being checked up on. I mainly work with mother cats." Pepper told them all. "So these are two both of your kittens?" Pepper asked as she came around to look at Smokekit and Thistlekit. Thistlekit let out a low hiss and arched her back like Firestar clearly warning the kittypet to back off.

"That is none of your concern," Onewhisker warned Pepper as he narrowed his eyes.

"Look, Pepper, we would honestly like to leave, we don't belong here, we belong in the forest-"

"The place that's getting torn down?"

"TORN DOWN!?" Firestar and Onewhisker both yelled out in shock.

"Yeah, a lot of humans have been complaining about the cats in that area, so they decided to just tear it down altogether and build something else." Pepper stretched out like it was no big deal.

"That's our home! Oh no, I have to get out! I have to warn the clan!" Firestar yowled as she suddenly went to jump towards the window again. The twoleg suddenly got up and grabbed the ginger she-cat. Smokekit watched as his mother suddenly twisted and turned in the twoleg's grip and started to thrash around before catching the twoleg's face with her powerful claws. Instantly the woman dropped Firestar and hurried out, shutting the door behind her.

"..." Smokekit watched as his mother was now trying to keep calm as she observed the room they were stuck in.

"Pepper, surely you know the way out of here, right?" Onewhisker asked the silver and black kit.

"Well... I could, but... If I do I'll get in trouble and the twolegs would certainly kill me for it." Pepper shook her head violently. Instantly Firestar's ear twitched as she jumped back up to look at Pepper.

"Kill you? They kill cats here?" Firestar questioned her.

"Yes! I see it every day. Cats who misbehave, who don't get along with other cats, who attack the twolegs, they all get..." Pepper paused before looking around, scared someone might hear her before finally whispering in a low voice, "They all get, 'the needle'. Cats go into a room with 'the needle' and never come out."

"Firestar just attacked a twoleg...You have to get us out of here! Look, we'll take you with us, Pepper, you'll be safer with us than with the twolegs." Onewhisker quickly and urgently told Pepper.

"What?! We're seriously thinking of taking an outsider? A kittypet of all things!?" Thistlekit finally spoke up with a hiss.

"What's wrong with taking a Kittypet?" Smokekit challenged her.

"A kittypet can't learn the ways of a warrior!"

"Really? You've been traveling with a kittypet that's a _leader_ of all things! Are you that blind?" Smokekit hissed back at the she-cat. Thistlekit only blinked before turning to Firestar, who wasn't even paying attention towards their little argument but seemed to be thinking about something else.

"Please, Pepper, help us out. I have to warn my clan, it's my duty as the leader. I'll even allow you to join Thunderclan if you wish. You'd be doing Onewhisker, Thistlekit, Smokekit, and I, a big favor and we'd be in your debt." Firestar softly told the kitten. There was a moment of silence, Smokekit could hear the twoleg stomping back towards the door.

"Please, Pepper," Smokekit finally urged the she-cat as his paws shuffled anxiously. "Please," he softly mewed to her.

That seemed to do it, Pepper turned and jumped up towards the window, they watched as she reached up and pulled down on something sticking up next to the window, and just like that the window opened. The door to the room busted open and quickly they all scrambled towards the window.

Thristlekit managed to jump up with ease and get out along with Onewhisker and Pepper. Smokekit tried to jump but the leap to the window from the table was too high for him to reach and he landed back on the table hard. Suddenly he was grabbed by his scruff and curling his legs up, Smokekit was carried towards the window by his mother, honestly, he felt embarrassed to have his mother carry him to safety. Still, the two of them made it safely to the other side, and with Smokekit still in his mother's mouth Firestar took off rushing towards the safety of the wooded area. Catching up with Onewhisker, Pepper, and Thislekit the five of them all paused to catch their breaths once they were sure the coast was clear from the twolegs. Firestar placed Smokekit down who was instantly laughed at by Thristlekit,

"Ah, does your mommy have to hold you everywhere you go?"

"Shut up! I do not!" Smokekit snarled back at her, his fluffy fur high as he tensed up.

"Enough, you two," Firestar spoke calmly to the two as she licked her chest nervously, everyone sat down shaking horribly as Firestar seemed to look around the place. "I don't know this place." Firestar softly confessed.

"Let's walk around, there has to be something we recognize," Onewhisker spoke to Firestar.

Firestar nodded in response to him, "Sounds like a plan."

With the two of them in front, Thistlekit, Pepper, and Smokekit sauntered behind them none of them speaking as they walked forward. Firestar and Onewhisker looking around frantically for any sign of something familiar. Firestar suddenly stopped, her nose scrunched up, Smokekit and Thristlekit did the same as a pungent disgusting smell filled their noses.

"Urg! What is that!" Thristlekit yelled out in disgust as she stuck her tongue out.

"Gross!" Smokekit agreed.

"It's just the road." Pepper shrugged.

"Thunderpath." Firestar corrected and added as they got closer to the stench, Smokekit looked at a sudden gray path that ran through the middle of the forest, it smelt awful making him and Thristlekit cringe horribly, but Pepper seemed indifferent to it. "Now... do we cross or follow it down?" Firestar mumbled softly. Her and Onewhisker looked at one another before looking back at the thunderpath. A monster started to cross and Smokekit took a startled step back at the speed of the monster.

"I'd rather not cross..." Onewhisker mewed as suddenly another monster came rolling by at the same fast rate.

"Agreed. Let's go down then." With that, the small group made their way down the side of the thunderpath. While they walked Smokekit looked over at Pepper and smiled at her to the best of his abilities. Pepper only blinked at him before suddenly being bumped to the side bitterly by Thistlekit. The Shadowclan cat kept her head high as she just simply trotted forward. Smokekit only sighed out as he looked at his mother, Firestar only kept on walking forward her head proudly high. Smokekit could see her eyes, pure worry was all she had. Worry for her clan and all the other cats she accidentally left behind, and now Smokekit knew his mother had a goal to get back to the clan before it was too late.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok it's finally time to show case all those who had put their cats in 'Little bundles' sorry it took three chapters to get them in but here they are. Now a couple of them I changed around a bit manly so they could fit in and what not (also because some of you didn't give me all the information I needed which might have been my fault) but no worry, I still love you guys.**

Sunpaw walked with the rest of the four clans, honestly, she wanted to stay close to her sisters or even her father, but due to the sheer numbers of cats around her and the four leaders- Okay, three leaders and one deputy- all had to stay in the front along with Brambleclaw, Crowfeather, and Tawnypelt as they lead the clans away from their once beloved home. So, being separated from her siblings just a bit made her a tad sad, well, that and the added fact that Smokekit and her mother were also gone. Just like that, her mother was snatched from her by twolegs, but Graystripe reassured them that their mother and Smokekit will come back to them.

"Something got you down?" A voice asked her as she walked, turning her head she looked to see a tom cat. The cat was clearly no older than her. This cat almost looked like Dewpaw at first glance. He was a dark gray tabby tom with darker gray tabby stripes and black markings around his face he also had blue eyes that seemed to bore into Sunpaw's own orange eyes. Sunpaw let out a sudden cough as she just sighed out and looked down.

"Its silly, I just feel... maybe a tad lonely."

"You are literally surrounded by other cats, how can you be lonely?" The tom asked her and she only looked down awkwardly once more.

"I've always been surrounded by my family, and now with my mother and brother missing and my sisters off with their mentors, it feels like..." Sunpaw trailed off softly.

"Like you're being left behind in an odd way?" The other asked her and she nodded frantically,

"You know the feeling?" She questioned excitedly towards him.

"I think so... I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Stormpaw, from Windclan." Stormpaw introduced himself to her.

"Sunpaw, from Thunderclan. Not to be confused with the other Sunpaw, who's a tom, from Thunderclan." She joked.

"Ok, Sunpaw, the pretty one. Gotcha." Stormpaw purred at her. Instantly her ears heated up at the compliment and she looked down with some embarrassment.

"Stormpaw, come over here!" Came a tom's demand.

"That's my father, Stormfly. I have to go. Talk to you later, alright?" Stormpaw asked her and she nodded dumbly at him. Stormpaw only purred back before walking back towards his father. Sunpaw sighed out softly as she watched him leave.

"Sunpaw," Came Sandstorm's voice and soon the blonde she-cat was right next to her. "Come along, I want to show you a few things." Sandstorm told her softly and Sunpaw obediently followed her mentor, Sunpaw's tail now just a little bit higher as she followed.

Streampaw watched Sunpaw go off with Sandstorm and looked up at Dustpelt, Dustpelt looked down at her and then sucked in a deep breath before sighing out ever so softly. "Alright, when we stop, I'll show you how to hunt as for now why don't you go and see if maybe anybody else needs anything?" Dustpelt dismissed her and Streampaw only snorted out before watching rather enviously as Sunpaw got to already do apprentice stuff, while Dustpelt clearly wanted nothing to do with Streampaw at the moment, no, he was clearly too concerned with Ferncloud at the moment. Ferncloud expecting her and his first liter, her stomach slowly growing each day. She wasn't ready to give birth just yet, so what was he fretting so much about?

"So, finally ready to enjoy apprenticeship?" Came a familiar mocking voice to Streampaw's left. Streampaw turned to see Duskpaw, Duskpaw's black fur shone under the sun above them as he smiled at her.

Streampaw knew Duskpaw only really briefly in the nursery, it was odd, Streampaw remembered when he came in. He was seemingly abandoned by a kittypet or loner out in the forest and brought home by Graystripe himself. Firestar of course accepted Duskkit, now Duskpaw and now here he was.

"I wish I could. Dustpelt doesn't want to teach me, he's too worried about Ferncloud." Streampaw sighed out with a headshake. Duskpaw looked over at Dustpelt and only snorted.

"That fur-brain, I don't think Graystripe knew what he was thinking when he had Dustpelt mentor you," Duskpaw coolly responded to Streampaw's own bitterness. Streampaw then got ready to say something back to him, but his mentor, Mistpelt came up and tapped his shoulder with her tail,

"This way, I'm not done with you just yet," The she-cat mewed towards him as the two of them then walked away from Streampaw, with a half-hearted shrug, Streampaw decided to see if Dewpaw if needed any help or something.

Smokekit was sure his feet were going to fall off as he dragged behind Firestar and Onewhisker, he wasn't the only one dragging either, Thistlekit and Pepper were also dragging behind at a sluggish pace their tails and ears low as they tried to keep up. Smokekit look up at the night sky, the moon now above them, and could only sigh. "Mom, can we please rest for a few moments." Smokekit asked her softly. Instantly Firestar stopped and turned around to look at the three of them.

"Uh, yeah. I think resting would be a good idea for now, don't you, Firestar?" Onewhisker asked, causing the she-cat's ears to twitch slightly. Smokekit felt his stomach grumble loudly, when was the last time he ate?

"Yeah, alright. I guess I'm pretty hungry. Hopefully there is some prey around here." Firestar looked around, Instantly Thistlekit and Smokekit both perked up at that idea,

"Can you teach me how to hunt?" Thistlekit asked excitedly to Firestar.

"I don't know if she can seeing how she's a kittypet," Smokekit quipped at Thistlekit, clearly not forgiving her for her outburst earlier about Pepper. Thistlekit looked down rather guiltily, but didn't say anything back to Smokekit.

"Smokekit, enough of that," Firestar scolded him. "As for your question," She turned to Thistlekit and flicked her ears at the ginger cat, "How many moons are you?"

"Six! I was almost ready to be an apprentice when the humans took me!" Thistlekit puffed a little agitated. Firestar looked at the three kits before turning to Onewhisker. It seemed for a moment they shared a look and maybe the same thought as Onewhisker nodded.

"Alright, alright, seeing how I am a leader, then I guess it should be best if you guys are all apprenticed,"

"Really!?" Both Smokekit and Thistlekit asked excited, Smokekit looked over at Pepper hoping she'd share the same excitement as they did, but she just looked confused at all this.

"Wait, there are only three of us and two of you. How will this work?" Thistlekit asked as she blinked at Pepper.

"I can take on two apprentices, or, to make it easier, me and Onewhisker can both mentor her. Just until we find the others that is. So, to save some time here. Smokekit, Thistlekit, you both reached the age of Six moons and it's time for the two of you to be apprenticed. Smokekit, from now on you will be known as Smokepaw and Onewhisker shall be your mentor, Thistlekit, from now on you will be known as Thistlepaw and I will be your mentor." Firestar quickly went through the ceremony. She then turned to Pepper who, like normal, just looked confused as she sat there trying to assess everything at once.

"Pepper, if you are to become one of us, your name must be changed. Are you alright with this?" Firestar asked the she-cat.

"Yeah, sure... I guess? ..." She mumbled the last part of her sentence just to highlight more of her confusion. Thistlepaw let out a rather mean giggle at Pepper and Smokepaw lightly tapped her leg with his paw and shook his head at her, showing his disapproval towards her, Thistlepaw went quiet after that, and looked down.

"Alright, Pepper, from this moment onward as Starclan looks upon you, your name will now be Silverpaw, both Onewhisker and I will mentor you until you have earned your warrior name." Firestar mewed at her and gently touched noses with Silverpaw. Silverpaw seemed taken aback by the sudden action as she backed up rather quickly and tripped over her two hind paws causing her to fall on her back.

Firestar, Onewhisker, and Thistlepaw all let out soft giggles at Silverpaw's clear embarrassment. Smokepaw only shook his head at all of them, but he said nothing to it. Silverpaw slowly stood and shook off of her pelt before lightly licking her chest sheepishly.

"Alright, is that everyone taken care of?" Firestar asked the three apprentices. Smokepaw, Thistlepaw, and Silverpaw all nodded at her and she nodded back.

"Alright, first things first then, hunting. Onewhisker will you take Silverpaw with you or should I?" Firestar asked the other warrior, causing Onewhisker to blink slowly.

"Oh, uh, I can take her and Smokepaw this time." Onewhisker mumbled slightly almost as if he was having trouble with his wording for a moment, Smokepaw watched as Onewhisker's paw's seem to shuffle slightly. Firestar purred at him and then tapped Thistlepaw's shoulder with her tail,

"Come along," Firestar ordered Thistlepaw, Smokepaw couldn't help but laugh as Thistlepaw practically jumped with excitement as she raced happily after Firestar.

"Hopefully, we find something good, I'm starving," Onewhisker groaned out as he stretched his body out to claw the ground below him. Standing up fully, he looked at Smokekit and Silverpaw and could only sigh out, "Alright, follow me, you two... now, the first rule of hunting is to be quiet..."

Smokepaw had to say, hunting was a little harder than he expected, he could tell that Silverpaw felt the same way as the two of them shyly looked at Onewhisker, two mice hung out of his mouth along with a sparrow while neither of them managed to catch a thing. Smokepaw had his ears low as he walked along.

"It'll get easier over time, don't be so disappointed, you two," Onewhisker told them once he placed the food down on the floor, right then, Firestar and Thistlepaw came back at the same time. Thistlepaw had a vole hanging proudly in her mouth while Firestar had a finch in her mouth.

"Ah, that should more than enough," Firestar happily mewed as she laid down to rest for a moment.

"It's going to take these two some time to get the ropes of hunting," Onewhisker spoke back to Firestar as he decided to lay down next to her.

"Don't think too much on it, you two, it sometimes takes others longer to understand hunting," Firestar pretty much told them what Onewhisker had earlier. It didn't make Smokepaw feel any better, especially his mother telling him this. He understands Silverpaw not fully understanding how to hunt, but why did he have such a hard time? He was born a clan cat, after all...

"Smokepaw? Are you going to eat, or just stare at the forest floor?" Thistlepaw asked him, blinking, he looked at the others only to see that they had already begun to eat. Laying down between Thistlepaw and Silverpaw, he grabbed the sparrow and started to happily, and hungrily, eat his meal. Over time his stomach started to get full once he finished all the scraps of the bird. Yawning out Smokepaw happily stretched his whole body out.

Feeling an unexpected weight to his left, he looked over at Silverpaw, the she-cat taking it to the next level as she had stretched out and then flopped down onto her back happily. Smokepaw was ready to just leave her be, but the moment he accidently put some weight against one of Silverpaw's hind legs he was met with a sudden and swift kick to the side causing him to knock into Thistlepaw.

"HEY!" Both Smokepaw and Thistlepaw yelled at once.

"Oh, sorry," Silverpaw quickly apologized to the two of them as she rolled back down to her stomach.

"Urg, Mouse-brain." Thistlepaw hissed bitterly as she shook her pelt off. Smokepaw scrunched his nose up at her bitterness and just snorted back at her.

"A bird," Silverpaw purred as she glanced up at the trees, everyone looked at her direction to see a plump thrush sitting on a nearby branch, the bird was pecking around the tree and instantly Silverpaw got to her paws. Everyone watched as Silverpaw sat down and stared at the plump bird.

"Should someone tell her that she just ate?" Thistlepaw whispered to Smokepaw.

"I think she just really wants to catch something," Smokepaw spoke hurriedly to Thistlepaw.

Silverpaw started to suddenly clatter her teeth together at a fast rate, almost mimicking the sound of the bird.

At this point, everyone was watching as she gained the bird's attention as she continued to make the clattering, chirping sound with her mouth, then, out of nowhere, the bird swooped down close to Silverpaw and landed right at her paws, Silverpaw wasted no time jumping on the bird, successfully killing it. Turning around she held the Thrush proudly in her jaws, much to everyone's amazement.

"How did you do that?" Onewhisker questioned her softly, Silverpaw only tilted her head slightly to the side.

"My mom taught me, it's something a lot of us do when we're outside," Silverpaw mewed as she placed the thrush next to the other piece of fresh-kill.

"You have got to teach me how to do that!" Thristlepaw happily demanded to Silverpaw,

"Yeah, me to! That's incredible!" Smokepaw excitedly jumped in front of her. Silverpaw blinked at the two of them and quickly licked her chest in embarrassment,

"I guess I could..." She whispered to the two.

"Alright," Firestar stood and shook her pelt off, "We've rested, we must continue to try and find the clans before we're too late. We must hurry." Firestar told them as she started to walk forward, Smokepaw looked at Thristlepaw and Silverpaw before nodding at them excitedly. Smokepaw would be glad when they reach the clans, then maybe they could rest for real. Still, as he looked back at Silverpaw he could see the she-cat actually getting along just a little bit with Thistlepaw as the two of them walked together softly speaking to one another.

Smokepaw forced his head towards the side when he heard his mother gasp out and freeze suddenly. Looking her way, Smokepaw felt his back suddenly arch up as he realized just what his mother was looking at,

It was a large animal with dark brown fur, rounded ears, and a long muzzle, it was larger than anything that Smokepaw has ever seen as it got up on it's hind legs, and with it's large claws it started to paw and chip away at the tree bark.

"Firestar...Is that a ..." Onewhisker trailed off his mouth a gap as the animal then opened it's mouth showing very sharp and large yellow teeth.

"...A bear?..." Silverpaw was the one to finish his sentence. Smokepaw felt his body run cold as the bear seemed to take notice of them as well and just stared at them, it's large shoulders square as it started to let out a low growls at them. Showing one thing,

This animal wasn't leaving in anytime soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Why I have Sunpaw, Dewpaw, Streampaw, and Smokepaw call their parents 'mom' and 'dad' where as in the books it's not the case? Because to me they just feel so detached from their parents. I understand why they didn't want that to be the case though. The only reason they don't do that is either A) They could say the cat's don't know the words for mother and father (but that's untrue) or B) because the erins figured if they did that then they might of had some of the incest come into light like, psh, I don't know Dustpelt being Sandstorm's uncle. Or Ashfur being the great uncle of Squirrelflight. I understand why they did it, I do, but again, to me, it feels too detached, so that's why I'm allowing them to call them mom and dad.**

"Do. Not. Move." Firestar told everyone sternly as she stayed planted where she stood, making sure to hide the three apprentices from the view of the bear. Smokepaw could see Onewhisker actually shaking where he stood, as he should, that bear was massive, there was absolutely no way they could take an animal that large on, not without them all dying horribly that is. The bear let out several chirps at them and then waved it's massive paw up and down in the air, showing it's bulky claws to them as it did so.

"I'm going to rush at it, Onewhisker, get the apprentices out of here, they are too young to deal with this animal," Firestar told the warrior in a hushed voice,

"Are you crazy? You'll-"

The bear let out a threatening growl and Firestar stood on her toes clearly challenging the bear. "Go! I'll meet up with you!" Firestar demanded finally before charging.

"Mom!-" Smokepaw tried to follow, but Thistlepaw grabbed his scruff and pulled him back.

"Leave her, she'll come back, she's a leader after all!"

"But, she's my mother!" Smokepaw fought back against Thistlepaw, but the she-cat wasn't having it as she dragged Smokepaw, Silverpaw helped Thistlepaw. Smokekit watched in sudden horror as Firestar was suddenly swiped at by the bear, the animal's long claws scratching her side, causing her to hiss and cry out. That's all Onewhisker needed as he suddenly rushed and jumped on the Bear's face, scratching at the animal's eyes in an attempt to blind it. Smokepaw felt his body being dragged by the two she-cats as he watched horrified. The bear tried to bite down on Onewhisker's spine, but Firestar jumped and kicked the bear in the face with her hind legs, making sure to scratch the bear's snout with her claws. The bear let out a low grumbled noise and wiped its bloody snout with its paw.

"Go! Go!" Firestar ordered loudly as she pushed the apprentices away from the giant animal, however, the bear wasn't done yet as it suddenly slashed and sent Firestar flying into a nearby tree with a sickening 'crack'.

"Mom!" Smokepaw yowled as he managed to finally shake Thistlepaw and Silverpaw off of him, hastily he rushed past the bear and lightly nudged his mother. Firestar's eyes were open but glazed over as she seemed to be staring at the sky above her.

"Firestar!" Onewhisker charged forward with all his might and jumped, clawing at the giant animal's eyes, the animal managed to bite down on Onewhisker's shoulder and dragged the cat down, causing his claws to drag down the bear's face as the bear suddenly flung Onewhisker away. The bear whimpered and suddenly fled, both of its eyes bleeding. Onewhisker fell with a 'thump' on the ground, unlike Firestar, Onewhisker got back to his feet.

"Mom?" Smokepaw gently nudged her, but Firestar didn't move, Smokepaw got up and gently pushed his mom back and forth in an attempt to wake her, but she didn't move or even breathe. "She's not breathing!" Smokepaw yelled loudly as he rubbed against his mother. She couldn't be dead, could she? "Mom! Get up!" he demanded as he continued to shake her.

"Easy, Smokepaw, just backs up and give her time," Onewhisker told him as Smokepaw was gently pushed back and away from his mother's body.

"This is just like what happened with Blackstar..." Thistlepaw shuffled her paws a little excitedly as she watched Firestar excitedly.

"I don't... She's not okay, I think she's dead, why are we just watching her?" Silverpaw asked as she walked up to Firestar's body, being mindful of a shaking and scared Smokepaw. Just then, Firestar let out a loud gasp and blinked slowly. Silverpaw jumped up high and quickly dashed behind Onewhisker in freight as Firestar started to sluggishly stand to her paws.

"I... Oh..." Firestar wobbled a bit on her paws before steadying herself, "I think I need to rest for a moment... " She breathily spoke before falling over.

"Mom!" Smokepaw rushed to his mother's aid in an instant, Firestar let out a low groan as Smokepaw rested against her in an, failed, attempt to comfort her at the moment.

"The bear?" Firestar asked Onewhisker, Onewhisker blinked stupidly before shaking his head quickly.

"Gone. Maybe blinded, not sure on that one," Onewhisker quickly reported and Firestar nodded with approval.

"Thank you, Onewhisker. Smokepaw, I'm fine, please get off of me." Firestar softly told her son. Smokepaw twitched his ears at her softly and did as his mother asked.

"I don't understand! You were dead! How did you just come back to life like that?" Silverpaw asked clearly still spooked by it all, her fur fluffed up in shock. While Onewhisker and Firestar explained the situation and what being leader grants to a cat, Smokepaw had drowned them out as he looked at the ground beneath his paws.

' _She's never demanded I get off of her before, why now? She probably needs space, I mean she did just lose a life after all,'_ Smokepaw exhaled a sigh and gently shook his pelt. ' _She's tired and just needs some space to recuperate."_ He told himself as he looked at his mother. Firestar now looking a tad spooked herself.

"Onewhisker? A moment alone please?" Firestar asked the warrior as she suddenly bounded away from the others. Onewhisker quickly gave follow, and Firestar looked back at the three of them now standing there, "Just... stay here. We'll be back." Firestar simply told them before vanishing.

"I wonder what's going on?" Thistlepaw muttered as she looked at Smokepaw. Silverpaw only blinked weakly before laying down.

"Everything alright?" Smokepaw asked her as he sat next to Silverpaw.

"I just saw a cat come back from the dead. No. Everything is not alright." Silverpaw breathed out as she tried to collect her bearings.

"It'll be alright, that's why being leader is great! You get nine lives instead of just one!" Thistlepaw smiled at Silverpaw as she sat down next to the she-cat.

"It's... so odd! I guess I have a lot to learn about being a warrior," Silverpaw mused in thought as she looked up at the sky. Smokepaw looked up at the sky with her and hummed in thought. After a few heartbeats of silence between the trio, Firestar and Onewhisker came back, Firestar still looking a tad shaken, but better.

"Is everything alright?" Smokepaw asked his mother softly.

"Yeah... Yeah... let's get moving." Firestar nodded fastly and ushered Smokepaw, and the others, straight onward.

* * *

"Ravenpaw!" Sunpaw exclaimed loudly as she suddenly broke away from the others as she happily bounded towards the black and white cat.

"Sunkit?... oh no..." Ravenpaw breathed out when he saw all the other cats behind her.

"Ravenpaw. I wish I could say this was good tidings," Graystripe sighed out as he walked forward towards his friend.

While Graystripe and Ravenpaw spoke to one another, Sunpaw looked over at Barley, the plump black and white cat lazily sitting on a pile of hay one leg dangling off the edge as he watched the others with interest. Feeling someone nudge next to her, Sunpaw looked up at Sandstorm and frowned deeply. She really missed her mother.

"I was on my way to tell you guys about the humans, but, clearly I was too late... I'm sorry about Firestar, but she's a strong cat, she'll find her way back to you guys in no time." Ravenpaw comforted Graystripe more than anybody at the moment. That was when Tallstar let out a weak cough, putting almost all of the attention on him.

"Ravenpaw, Barley, if it's not too much... could we stay here for the night?" Graystripe asked for the other leaders. Sunpaw noticed the sun was starting to set, and everyone already looked tired as well as hungry.

"Of course," Ravenpaw mewed to him. Quickly he gestured everyone into the small barn, from there everyone got comfortable and rather happily ate their fair share of fat mice.

Sunpaw was next to Dewpaw, and Streampaw the three of them digging into their fat meals happily.

"... I heard about your mother and brother, how are you three holding up?" Ravenpaw asked as he sat in front of them. Streampaw licked her chops clean before answering,

"We're hanging in there, we know mom, we also know mom isn't going to let anything happen to Smokekit." Streampaw smiled at Ravenpaw before going back to her meal. Sunpaw looked over at Dewpaw, her sister now just staring at a wall intensely, before Sunpaw could ask her sister if anything was wrong, Dewpaw stood.

"I'll be right back," Dewpaw spoke softly before walking over towards Cinderpelt. Sunpaw frowned at that and turned to Streampaw, only to find out that Streampaw left her without saying a word. Streampaw was now happily chatting with Duskpaw leaving Sunpaw by herself once again. With a sigh, she lowered her ears. Looking up at Ravenpaw she frowned at the tom cat.

"They're so busy now that they're apprentices, we hardly get to talk without one of them rushing off to do something with someone else." Sunpaw half whined as she laid down next to her mouse.

"Don't worry about it too much. I'm sure when you all become warriors, or in Dewpaw's case a medicine cat, you'll all find the time to talk like you use too, and you'll have more free range to where you go as well." Ravenpaw reassured her as he gently tapped her shoulder with his tail.

"Ravenpaw, how come you never got your warrior name?" Sunpaw couldn't help but ask as she stood up now.

"It's a long and complicated story really."

"Oh."

Sunpaw just let it drop after that, and Ravenpaw smiled at her gently.

"I have to go and talk to Graystripe now, I think he really needs someone to talk to at this moment. Enjoy your mouse."

With that, Ravenpaw padded away from her. Sunpaw only looked at the remains of the mouse before her and slowly started to eat.

"Boo!"

Feeling someone suddenly touch her tail caused Sunpaw to jump up, clearly startled, and bump into Birdheart by accident.

"Sorry." She apologized to the warrior before turning to look at Stormpaw from Windclan. With a bitter snort at the tom, Sunpaw lashed her fluffy tail out a tad embarrassed that Stormpaw managed to sneak up on her so easily.

"Don't do that," She spat slightly at tom.

"Oh, you're a little scaredy cat," Stormpaw teased at her, causing her to lash her tail out once more. "C'mon, don't be so sensitive." Stormpaw laughed at her a bit as he poked her face.

"I am NOT sensitive." Was all Sunpaw had to say about that. Her head held high and proud.

"Yes, you are."

"Am not!" Sunpaw hissed at him, her temper starting to rise more now.

"Oh just admit it Sunpaw."

"I'm not-"

"What's going on over here?" Brambleclaw asked as he walked over to investigate the growing noise between the two of them. Instantly Stormpaw backed down once Brambleclaw was close enough.

"I think I hear my mentor." Was all he had to say about that before trotting away quickly.

"What are you doing hanging around a Windclan cat? You need to stay close to Thunderclan at all times," Brambleclaw instantly got to scolding her.

"Excuse me?! He came to me, besides, you're one to talk! Hanging out with Crowpaw, and Stormfur, AND Tawnypelt!" She puffed her fur up at Brambleclaw.

"I had to. This is different."

"How?!"

"We are in a massive group of cats, the last thing we truly need is for you, or anyone, getting too close to a cat from a different clan. Stay close to Thunderclan from now on."

Sunpaw watched for a brief moment as Brambleclaw started to walk away from her, she really should have held her tongue at that moment, but she just couldn't help what left her mouth,

"You aren't the leader, and you're not the deputy, you have no authority over me."

"...Tch." Was all that left Brambleclaw's mouth before he turned and glared at her, "Do you think your mother would be happy with that pile of fox-dung that just left your mouth?" With that Brambleclaw finally left the she-cat be.

Sunpaw scrunched her face up at him before clawing bitterly at the hay below her, she simply sat down and started to claw at it in anger. Getting it all in her claws and up between her claws as well. She glared down at the hay and looked at it like it was Brambleclaw's face. He think's he's so important now? Ha! It didn't take long for the hay to build up uncomfortably in-between her claws, and on them that she had to stop, and was now picking at the stuff with her teeth to get them out.

"Hello, do you mind if I sit with you guys?"

Dewpaw flicked her ears up at the she-cat approaching them. She was a thick golden brown she-cat with dappled stripes that seemed to ripple all around her body.

"Oh, of course not. Dewpaw, this is-" Cinderpelt started, but was cut off from a laugh from the she-cat.

"Cinderpelt, I can introduce myself, thank you, I'm Mothwing." She grinned at Dewpaw as she laid down next to Cinderpelt.

"Mothwing. I'm Dewpaw."

"Yes, who could miss that wonderfully short ceremony that Graystripe put on for you and your siblings," Mothwing told Dewpaw as she got comfortable. For a while Dewpaw and Mothwing started talking happily, exchanging small back and forth between the two of them. That was until a dark brown tabby tom with a white underbelly approached them. Dewpaw felt an instant sense of unease from this tom cat. She almost sat up in shock at him approaching them so suddenly.

"Mothwing. Can I borrow you for a second?" The tom asked, his blue eyes turning to Dewpaw. Instantly she narrowed her own eyes at the tom cat.

"Of course, Hawkfrost, it was nice meeting you Dewpaw." Was all Mothwing said as she stood and left the two of them.

Dewpaw felt her ears go back a little as she watched the duo leave quickly. Sniffing a bit she looked over at Cinderpelt, her mentor sharing her own distrust for the two as well. Still, Cinderpelt quickly masked her mistrust and looked at Dewpaw. "It's getting rather late, isn't it?" Cinderpelt asked as she stretched herself out. "Let's get some sleep, starclan knows we're going to need it."

"... Cinderpelt?"

"Hm?"

"About my vision?" She questioned as she got up, and laid next to Cinderpelt.

"We wait on that. Don't worry, there's still a long way to go before you and your siblings get their full names," Cinderpelt reassured her.

"Yes, but should we tell Graystripe?"

"No. I know that fur-brain well enough to know he'll try and delay it as much as he can. Making your sisters apprentices way longer than they should be. No. Don't tell him. Not until it's time to tell him."

"Cinderpelt?"

"Hm?"

"... Firestar... she's coming back, right? with Smokekit? They're both coming back, right?"

"... I can't answer that, Dewpaw, you know I can't."

"..."

"Get some sleep. Dewpaw, like I said, you're going to need it."


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I'm pretty sure you noticed by now that in my story Firestar's kits are younger than Leafpool and Squirrelflight because at this point the story they had pretty much gotten their warrior/ med cat names. Well, there is a reason for that, one, I can see Firestar being hesitant about having kits as a leader, pausing her duties and stuff to raise the kits, that and with Graystripe's history with queens having his kits...**

 **Lets just say I can see her being very hesitant, at least more hesitant than canon Firestar was with Sandstorm.**

 **That being said, also understand... accidents happen.**

Smokepaw shifted his feet on the ground as he eyed the finch pecking hungrily at the ground. Narrowing his green eyes, Smokepaw charged. The bird lifted its head and suddenly fluttered away just as Smokepaw tried to leap at his prey, in the end, all he got was just a mouthful of dirt as he tumbled and flipped over his own paws. Landing on his back, Smokepaw groaned out weakly.

"Nice try, but I see what you did wrong." Onewhisker came out of the grass.

Smokepaw got up and shook the dirt out of his thick pelt before spitting the dirt out of his mouth.

"When you're going for a bird you keep yourself on your toes and glide towards the bird to minimize the noise you make-" As if on cue, another bird, a robin, landed a few leaps away from the two of them and started to peck at the ground. "Watch me," Onewhisker ordered softly as he got on his toes and started to stalk the bird, carefully and easily he jumped and landed on the bird. The bird let out loud squawks and tried to fly away, but Onewhisker snapped its neck quickly and swiftly. Now, with the bird in his mouth, Onewhisker quickly buried it. He then turned to Smokepaw.

"Now, I want you to give that a try," Onewhisker told his apprentice. Smokepaw let out a soft and uneasy sigh before looking around for a nearby bird. Puffing out some air, Smokepaw looked around and saw a jay bird land on the ground just a little ways off. Sucking in a deep breath, he followed Onewhisker's example and tried to glide on his toes. He felt his heart race as he got closer to the bird, maybe now he could finally catch his own prey-

Letting out a yowl, he jumped up, scaring the bird and causing it to fly off, as he looked at his now bleeding paw. He had something sticking out of his paw, it wasn't a thorn. It was clear, like ice, but not cold. It was jagged and clearly sharp as it pierced through his rough pads.

"What? Did you make that big fuss over a thorn?" Onewhisker sighed rather bitterly as he came trotting up to Smokepaw.

"No, I don't know what it is..." Smokepaw mewed as he limped over to Onewhisker showing him his pad.

"Oh, that's not a thorn..." Onewhisker muttered as he looked at the item embedded in Smokepaw's paw. Gently Onewhisker lightly moved the grass where Smokepaw had stepped and together the two of them peered at the ground where more of sharp clear strange things laid, some big, and some small.

"...C'mon, let's... get that out of your paw," Onewhisker softly spoke as he grabbed the object with his teeth and pulled, causing Smokepaw to yowl out in pain with each movement of the object. Finally, Onewhisker managed to yank it out. Smokepaw sniffled and quickly started to lick his paw to clean the blood up.

"What's going on?" Came Firestar's voice as his mother came trotting over to them, Silverpaw and Thistlepaw right behind her. Firestar peered over Smokepaw's shoulder as she noticed the wound in his paw. "Oh, that doesn't look good. A thorn did that?" She asked Onewhisker. The tom cat, lightly moved the odd object towards her.

"... That's a twoleg object," She observed as Firestar lightly flipped the object over, the part that had impaled Smokepaw bloody. Silverpaw had trotted over to Smokepaw and looked at the wound.

"Oh, that looks deep... If we were still by the vet, then I could help you, but..." She mewed sadly as she suddenly licked his paw. Smokepaw felt his ear heat up slightly and he jerked his paw back.

"I'm fine, thank you." Was all he could quickly say as he tried to put his weight on his paw. Hissing out he brought his paw back up to the air, blood drops slowly dripping down his paw at this point.

"We need cobwebs," Onewhisker mewed as Smokepaw started to lap at the wound again. "Thistlepaw, Silverpaw, do you two think you can look around for some?" Onewhisker asked the two of them.

"They should be easy to find, just look around flowers, or trees, where spiders like to lay." Firestar helped filled the two in.

"Urg. fine." Thistlepaw muttered softly as she and Silverpaw bounded off to find some cobwebs for Smokepaw.

"Easy, easy." Firestar softly told Smokepaw as she gently lapped at Smokepaw's paw. "This is good, however." Firestart suddenly realized out loud

"Care to explain?" Onewhisker asked her a little concerned by her sudden realization. "Because the way I see it, it doesn't seem so 'good' as it seems like 'he's going to get an infection'." Onewhisker softly told her as he found himself scooting just a little closer to the bright orange she-cat.

"It means. Twolegs have been here, we just follow the twoleg trash, carefully, then maybe it'll lead us back to the clans!"

"Firestar you said earlier-"

Onewhisker looked at Smokepaw and then went quiet before letting out a quick sigh out. "Alright. It's alright. We'll follow the trash. Which is something I never believe I had to say." Onewhisker said softly. Smokepaw looked at the two of them and frowned deeply. Softly Smokepaw went back to lapping at his paw.

"I found some cobwebs!" Silverpaw came rushing back to them. A white wad of cobwebs in her mouth as she started to gently dab at the wound before wrapping the cobwebs around it. Thistlepaw was right behind her, not with cobwebs, but with burdock root and golden rod.

"I remembered that burdock and golden rod can treat an infection. In case you might get one." Thistlepaw softly said as she came up to the group.

"Interesting... are you by any chance interested in being a medicine cat?" Firestar asked Thistlepaw. The she-cat only scrunched her nose up.

"Starclan, no. I only remember because my mother got a nasty infection in her eye when I was only two moons old, had to have burdock and golden rod slathered on her eye every day." Thistlepaw explained with her nose still scrunched up at the thought of being a medicine cat.

"What's a medicine cat?" Silverpaw asked as finished up with Smokepaw.

"It's a cat that helps heal the injured and sick, and they keep in contact with Starclan-" Onewhisker started to explain, but Silverpaw cut him off.

"What's Starclan?" Silverpaw interrupted as she tilted her head to the side, her blue eyes just filled with curiosity as she looked at everyone. "Well? I don't like being out of the loop, what's a Starclan?" She asked once more, this time sounding a little more impatient.

"You might what to sit down, this will take a while to explain..." Onewhisker told her.

"Do we truly have time for this? I mean, I would love to teach her about Starclan, but we're on a mission." Firestar told Onewhisker as she narrowed her eyes at the tom cat.

"Firestar's right, I'll try to keep it short for you, Silverpaw, but we must hurry." Onewhisker stood now, and Silverpaw eagerly followed as Onewhisker now started to tell her about Starclan as they trotted along.

Keeping careful amongst the twoleg trash now, Smokepaw limped beside Thistlepaw. "How's your paw?" Thistlepaw asked him in a whisper so not to disrupt Onewhisker. It was rather difficult to hear her as she still had dock and burdock in her mouth.

"It's throbbing now, but, it's bearable... Thanks for the dock and burdock, hopefully, we won't need them, but still, thank you," Smokepaw smiled at her, he watched as her ears gave a little twitch at him before she looked down.

"N-No problem, I mean, somebody has to think of you in this journey," She mewed at him, Smokepaw felt his head tilt a little to the side as he looked at her confused,

"What do you mean?" He couldn't help but ask.

"It's not obvious? Firestar is too focused on getting home, she hardly blinked when you got hurt. I mean she was more excited over the twoleg trash than she was anything else. Onewhisker, that tom... he has something else on his mind entirely, and Silverpaw- well... C'mon, she doesn't really care about the clans, she's new..." Thistlepaw told him softly, Smokepaw looked forward, nobody heard her, so he could only look back at her.

"Those are all very rude things to say. My mom, she cares about me-"

"Now, I didn't say that. Don't go putting words in my mouth. I said she's not focusing on you, she's more focused on going home and finding the clans than she is your safety." Thistlepaw growled a little louder to him.

"Still, that's rude. Of course she wants to get home, of course, that's her primary focus, that would be mine too. If I was in her position that is," Smokepaw told Thistlepaw simply. Thistlepaw narrowed her eyes at him and held her head high.

"Well, if I had kits and one got hurt like you did, I'd _at least_ stop to let them rest. I mean when is the last time we stopped to just rest for a moment? That wasn't just a quick hunting trip?" With that, Thistlepaw trotted past Smokepaw, making sure her tail whipped past his nose, just hitting him with the tip of her tail.

Smokepaw huffed out as he watched Thistlepaw walk next to Silverpaw now, everyone leaving him alone to try and catch up with them as he limped pitifully behind everyone.

"-Now, chew the dock and apply it to his wound," Cinderpelt ordered Dewpaw to do. Dewpaw did as she was told, the bitter dock leaving a nasty taste in her mouth as she spat it out all over Duskpaw's paw.

"Gross." Duskpaw sneered at the chewed up leaves on his paw.

"Alright, now-"

"We apply cobweb? Right?" Dewpaw asked Cinderpelt, cutting her mentor off. Cinderpelt nodded.

"Yes, good job." Cinderpelt nodded, and Dewpaw did just that, wrapping the cobwebs around Duskpaw's paw.

"Ah! It stings!" Duskpaw yelped out as he started to move his paw around wildly due to the pain.

"Calm down, mouse-brain. Be happy it was just a thorn, and nothing too serious." Cinderpelt softly scolded Duskpaw with a simple snort. Duskpaw whimpered softly, but he nodded and weakly limped away from the two.

"Thank you." Was the final thing he told them before limping over towards Streampaw.

"See? You did well." Cinderpelt praised Dewpaw softly.

"Yeah.."

"But?"

"But that was simple, I've seen you do it a million times over. I just don't know if I can handle a big wound."

"Dewpaw, trust me, you can probably handle anything coming your way." Cinderpelt softly whispered to her as she gave her apprentice a slight nudge. Dewpaw nodded, at first, slowly then a little faster at her mentor.

"I know, I'll do my best," She finally said proudly to Cinderpelt.

"I know you will," Cinderpelt purred at her. She then walked forward, towards Graystripe, "I have to talk to your father for a moment." She told Dewpaw plainly before limping off. Dewpaw only sighed out softly before looking around. Streampaw and Sunpaw were both off with their mentors, and everyone seemed to be doing something else while she just walked on by herself.

Hearing a soft splashing sound made her ears perk up. She trotted a head a little faster to see what the noise was and saw Mothwing fishing at the side of the bank. Tilting her head, Dewpaw couldn't stop herself from trotting over to Mothwing.

"Oh, hello," Mothwing greeted her rather stiffly.

"Hello." Dewpaw greeted her as well as she continued to watch Mothwing with some interest. Mothwing stopped and looked at Dewpaw and scooted a little closer to the apprentice.

"Would you like me to teach you how to fish?" Mothwing asked her with a whisper. Dewpaw let out a soft gasp and looked around to make sure nobody heard Mothwing.

"You can't, it's against the warrior code,"

"I don't really think it is, we don't currently have territories, and all I'm doing is just teaching you how to fish in case you want to try it later on," Mothwing softly told Dewpaw.

"I really think this against the code..." Dewpaw frightfully admitted to the other medicine cat. The last thing she wanted was to get in trouble.

Mothwing opened her mouth, clearly wanting to protest Dewpaw's anxiety, but she was suddenly cut off. "Mothwing, what are you doing?"

Looking over her shoulder, Dewpaw blinked when she saw Hawkfrost coming towards the two.

"Just chatting up with Dewpaw about herbs. I think she got what she needed," Mothwing belatedly lied as she shooed Dewpaw away.

"Shouldn't she have asked her own mentor those questions?" Hawkfrost asked Mothwing as Dewpaw hurried away. A part of her was curious about what the two of them were talking about, but she knew better than intrude.

Streampaw walked up to Dustpelt, a shrew in her mouth. "Here, for Ferncloud." She mewed to Dustpelt as she put the shrew down in front of him.

"Oh?... good job," he responded to her as he picked up the shrew, and trotted over towards Ferncloud with the prey. Streampaw beamed happily as she turned and trotted onwards proudly. Looking up at the sky, she then frowned a bit as she flicked her ear slightly.

"I hope mom is okay..." She thought out loud as then sat down, "Smokekit as well. Starclan. Please make sure they're both safe, wherever they are..."


	6. Chapter 6

**So, I have something I kind of want to do, but, I'm putting it to a poll, it should be up by the time this chapter goes out, so please! Vote!**

 **Also, you know a good song for Smokepaw? (The name is literally a coincidence) "Thunder" By imagine dragons. Thunder could also describe Firestar, to be honest. Or maybe Believer by Imagine dragons could describe Firestar as well.**

Smokepaw let out a soft whine as he tried to walk on his injured paw, but clearly, it was still too sensitive to walk on, so he continued to limp onwards. Silverpaw looked back at him, then over at Firestar, silently she trotted up quickly to Firestar.

"Ms. Firestar-"

"Please, Silverpaw, just call me Firestar. What is it?" Firestar asked her.

"If I may be blunt. I think it'd be best if we rest for the night. We're all very tired, and haven't slept in a long time."

"Yeah, I agree," Thistlepaw nodded as she looked back at Smokepaw. "I think Smokepaw needs to sleep as well. Please?" Thistlepaw asked Firestar. Her and Onewhisker both looked at each then nodded.

"Yeah, sorry. I tend to forget that you guys are just new apprentices," Firestar mewed at the three of them. "We can rest here, I think it's safe." She finished. Both she and Onewhisker stopped and sat down. Smokepaw let out a soft sigh of relief. Slowly he laid down next to Firestar, Firestar only looked down at him, she didn't say a thing as she just watched him. Smokepaw started to lick at his wounded paw, as he removed the cobwebs and continued to lick his paw.

"Stop that. Mouse-brain." Thistlepaw ordered as she sat next to Smokepaw, so close to Smokepaw in fact that their flanks were touching. Soon, everyone was huddled around each other as the cool night air started to settle around them. Smokepaw noted Onewhisker, his mentor sitting as close to Firestar as possible, Smokepaw narrowed his brilliant green eyes at Onewhisker the Windclan tom was clearly getting a little too comfortable, so, sucking in a deep breath, Smokepaw lightly rubbed against his mother's neck. Thistlepaw must have taken notice of this, as she suddenly snorted and scooted away from Smokepaw rather angrily. Smokepaw turned and looked at Thistlepaw, her ears were low and her tail started to lash a bit.

Silverpaw couldn't decide where she wanted to lay as she kept getting up, and laying down in a different spot.

"Please, just find a spot," Firestar spoke to Silverpaw as the she-cat had gotten up for the third time.

"Oh... sorry, it's just..." Silverpaw lightly shuffled her paws, at this point, everyone, including a still angry Thistlepaw, was looking at her, Silverpaw took notice of this and her ears went low and her eyes went slightly wide. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She shook her head and decided to lay next to Onewhisker.

Smokepaw's ear's flicked before he finally rested his head down, he could feel his mother's soft fur against his face. He was happy she was with him, then again...

Smokepaw lowered his ears as guilt flooded over him.

It was his fault she was caught to begin with.

* * *

"-Mouse-brain, that hurt!"

Smokepaw snorted as he was suddenly met with Thistlepaw jabbing her left hind leg sharply into his side, waking him. "Ow! That hurt!" He snapped shooting up into Thistlepaw's face. It was early morning, the dew was still hanging on the grass as the fog rolled over their small group. He hissed and lifted his injured paw in the air as he felt it sting in pain.

"You kicked me in your sleep, so I thought I'd return the favor," Thistlepaw sneered at him in response to him. "Why don't you go running to mommy about." She whispered bitterly to him.

"Excuse me? What's that suppose to mean?" He felt his fur suddenly bristle. He looked quickly at the others, they were all still asleep.

"Oh, you know what I mean. Every time something happens, you need your mother to help you out, you refuse to leave her side like you think she's going to leave you." Thistlepaw huffed out as she plopped down on the ground.

"Well, she's my mother-"

"You're not a kit anymore, you're an apprentice, and you need to act like one." Thistlepaw cut him off as she laid her head down on her paws. "She's not going to allow this forever, don't you know? Especially with her being the leader and everything." There was something in her voice that made Smokepaw flick his ear towards her.

"... What's this really about, Thistlepaw?" Smokepaw sat down next to her, and her tail lashed out bitterly towards him.

"Nothing. Just forget it-"

"Thistlepaw-"

"I said forget it." She cut him off as she lightly clawed at the muddy ground. "I'm done. Just go to sleep, don't kick me this time."

Smokepaw frowned, but, still laid next to her. "You know, you can talk to me, if you want." He told her as he sat next to her their flanks touching. He couldn't help but notice how Thistlepaw's ear's flicked upwards once more, before she sighed out and looked at him.

"... I told you about my brother?" She asked, it caught Smokepaw off guard slightly, but still, he nodded.

"Redpaw? Yeah."

"Redkit... Probably Redpaw, now... but... " Thistlepaw let out a soft sigh as she looked at her paws, at her harden gray pads, and then she flexed her claws out just to look at them as well.

"Thistlepaw?"

"... When the twolegs attacked our camp. My father, Midnightclaw, he was busy helping the warriors escape. My mother couldn't carry the two of us, we were two big. So, she grabbed Redpaw, and ordered that I try and keep up. I was captured by the twolegs, as you can clearly know. So, because my mother was too concerned for my brother's safety, I was captured. So forgive me if I find you always snuggling close to _mommy_ a little nauseating at the moment." Thistlepaw finally explained as she sneered at Smokepaw.

"Thistlepaw, I don't think your mother wanted to lose you."

"Maybe not, but she still put my brother before me," Thistlepaw put it plainly, turning her head away from Smokepaw. "I tried to ignore you always running to Firestar, but, it's getting to the point that it's down right obnoxious. You're an apprentice, act like one, not like a kit." Thistlepaw finished as let out a low sigh.

"... " Smokepaw said nothing as he finally looked down at his injured paw, he hadn't noticed that it had reopened until now, looking at the blood slowly oozing down his rough gray pad, Smokepaw started to lick it again. His paw was hurting still, he hoped it would heal soon.

* * *

Sunpaw let out a low sigh as she slowly stood up, she couldn't sleep, at all. Walking around the other apprentices quietly, Sunpaw silently walked over to the closest puddle and started to lap at some of the water. Sunpaw felt someone put their paw on her head and shove her face into the puddle. Sunpaw let out a loud cry and backed up startled. She cringed and shook her face trying to get the excess water off. She then growled when she heard a familiar voice laughing at her.

"Fox-dung!" She snapped at Stormpaw, the Windclan apprentice now laughing harder at her. Sunpaw growled lowly and crouched down, with a leap she tackled the tom and the two of them went tumbling down together, until he managed to pin her underneath him,

"Weeeak." He taunted her slowly.

"I am not!"

"Hm." With a simple movement, he got off of her and Sunpaw rolled back over on to her paws. "Clearly, your mentor hasn't taught you much."

"Well no, we're currently traveling to Starclan knows where, Sandstorm doesn't have that much time to battle train me."

Stormpaw only shook his head with a sigh and let out several quick 'tsks' in row, he was judging, hard. "Thunderclan, always making excuses for laziness." He sighed out.

"Excuse me?"

"Fine. Let me train you." Stormpaw put it simply.

"I don't think-"

"Sh. Do you want to be a warrior?"

"Well yeah."

"Then you'll take my training advice. You'll be better than both of your sisters." He told her, his voice full of confidence, "Every night, after tonight, we'll meet up and train while the others sleep."

"... I don't know. This feels like it's against the warrior code..."

"All the clans are practically merged as one, Sunpaw. Right now, I think the warrior code is out of the question." He mewed towards her as he lightly dragged his tail under her chin, making her ears head up. "Just put it this way, when the time comes, you'll be thankful I taught you how to fight." He ended as he padded away from the all the other cats. He only paused when he realized she wasn't following him right away, turning back he smiled at her. "C'mon Sunpaw... I'm sure your mother would have done the same if given the opportunity."

Sunpaw blinked, she was reminded of the last story Graystripe had told her about. The story about Scourge, and how her mother had formed an alliance with all of the other clans to fight Scourge off and save the forest. Sunpaw lightly pushed a stone away from her in thought. She missed her mom, a lot, she missed Smokekit as well, but, she knew that both of them were alive! She also knew that Stormpaw was right, if given the chance, her mother would have taken the opportunity to learn how to fight. "Alright, I'm coming." She mewed as she finally trotted after the other apprentice.

"Good. Don't worry, our training sessions won't take long."

* * *

"Dewpaw..."

Dewpaw's eyes twitched as she sleepily lifted her head up, looking in front of her all she saw was a bright aura before a cat emerged in front of her. The she-cat had brilliant silver fur and a very plump tail, this caused Dewpaw to stir a bit more for a moment she wondered if she was looking an adult Streampaw, as this she-cat and Streampaw looked very similar, the only difference was the plump tail.

"Hello?" Dewpaw mewed as she rubbed the sleepiness away with her paws.

"I'm Feathertail." The she-cat introduced herself, causing Dewpaw to perk her ears up. Feathertail? Her Riverclan half-sister? Why was she visiting Dewpaw?

"Listen, I need to warn you."

"Of what?" Dewpaw asked as she got closer to the she-cat.

"Be wary and careful, once these new lands are found, the clans will be split once more, and blood will be spilt."

"... Should I tell my father... our father?" Dewpaw asked and Feathertail lightly twitched her tail.

"No. Not until it's time to tell him."

"When will that be? I know you guys said when my siblings get their full names-"

"Then that will be when. Dewpaw. One final thing, be wary of Hawkfrost."

When Dewpaw blinked, Feathertail was gone, leaving Dewpaw alone for a few heartbeats. Breathing out heavily, Dewpaw licked her paw cautiously and swiped it over her ear rapidly. Her mind went to the starclan vision she had last time.

Last time it was Spottedleaf to visit both her and Cinderpelt, Spottedleaf told her plain and simple,

 _"Thunderclan cannot be without a leader forever, if Firestar does not return by the time your siblings are warriors, then your father must get his nine lives by then."_

 _"But... Firestar still has eight lives! You can't just give one life to Graystripe!" Cinderpelt had argued._

 _"We... are aware of this issue, this one time when we feel that that rule can be bent." Spottedleaf told them both._

It was all becoming way too much... Truthfully, Dewpaw felt exhausted as well. Sitting next to Cinderpelt, Dewpaw curled up sleepily. Enough thinking about this and that, she just needed some sleep.

* * *

Graystripe let out a soft sigh as he looked up at the moon, he couldn't sleep, he just couldn't. He missed having Firestar next to him. Climbing up on a large rock, he sat and stared at the moon.

"Starclan... why did you take her from me? Why can't I just be happy?" He asked softly. "First Silverstream now Firestar?... no, I know Firestar, she's alive, I know it." He mused, "she's not one to sit down and give up, that's for sure... I do miss her..."

"... Dad?"

Graystripe blinked and looked down from the rock, Sunpaw was at the base of the rock looking up at him. Before he could say anything, Sunpaw quickly climbed up the rock and met him at the top. Together the two of them looked up at the bright full moon that hung above their heads.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Mom's coming back right?"

"... If I know your mother? Yes."

Sunpaw sleepily rested her head against his shoulder. "I miss her, and Smokekit."

"I do to..." Graystripe placed his head on hers gently and together they just stared up at the moon.

* * *

"Mom?" Smokepaw had woke up in the middle of the night, again, this time to make dirt. When he had gotten up, his mother was gone from the group. He knew Thristlepaw was right about him acting like a kit. Still, he just wanted to be sure that his mother was okay. Going to a clearing not too far away from where they slept for the night, Smokepaw blinked when he saw Firestar just looking up at the bright full moon.

"You can't do this to me." He heard his mother speak softly to the sky. "You can't just... leave me, Onewhisker!" She called out loudly. Smokepaw crouched down silently, was his mother talking to Starclan?

"When I died... you didn't even show... I haven't had a single dream from you! Not one! You can't just leave us like this! I'm doing all I can!" She yelled so loudly that her voice echoed around the clearing. His mother suddenly let out a loud gasp clearly trying to get a hold of all her emotions that were bubbling to the surface. "... Please..." her voice cracked. She sounded like she was at her wit's end. Slowly, Smokepaw came out of his hiding place and padded up to his mother.

"I know Starclan will never leave you," Smokepaw spoke softly to her. Firestar only sighed softly and looked down at him. Gently she nuzzled his neck and Smokepaw rubbed against hers happily. "Not unless you allow to, that is." He finished softly.

"Smokepaw... thank you. You're right, Starclan hasn't left me... and even if Starclan tries to, I won't let them. They can't get rid of me _that_ easily."

Together, the two of them looked up at the shining moon, and Smokepaw laid down tiredly. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think dad is watching over Thunderclan well?"

"If I know your father? Yes."


End file.
